


Stitches Aren't Fun for Anybody - Part 2

by fallingleaves



Series: Chronicles of the Allen Children [4]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Blood, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Medical Procedures, Pain, Stitches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-06-07 04:01:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6784336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallingleaves/pseuds/fallingleaves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry and Len's son Lucas is a speedster, and like Barry, can't have anesthetics.  He get's hurt, and it's not pretty.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stitches Aren't Fun for Anybody - Part 2

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: graphic blood and medical procedures without anesthetics with a child character - please don't read if this will bother you!
> 
> For this fic:
> 
> Michael 16  
> Lucas and Leah 14  
> Wentworth 11  
> Cyrus 10
> 
> Also, you don't have to read the other fics in this series to read this one, but for context, Len and Barry are married, Len has ice powers, and they have five children, listed above, all with varying meta human abilities, but Lucas is the only speedster. For more detail, see either the first or second story in the series.

 

 

            It was around ten at night and Len and Barry were sitting on the couch, watching TV.  Wentworth and Cyrus had already been put to bed, Michael and Lucas were up in their rooms and Leah was taking a shower.

            They heard some footsteps on the stairs, but neither of them turned around.  At the next commercial break there was some shuffling behind them.  Lucas walked in, and Barry looked over, smiled, and then he saw his face.

            “D-Dad,” Lucas said.  He had his hands clasped together, eyes on the ground, and he was shaking.

            They were both sitting up in a second.

            “Lucas, what’s wrong?” Len asked.

            Lucas took in a shaky breath.  He still wasn’t meeting their eyes.  His face was red, and Barry realized with a shock that it looked like he had been crying.

            “I-I didn’t know what to do,” he said, and he finally looked up, just for a second.  He kept wringing his hands.  “I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad.  I didn’t – I got scared, a-and I – I”

            “Lucas,” Len said calmly, “what’s wrong?”

            Lucas trembled.  He was starting to hyperventilate. “I – I don’t – I – please don’t make me s-see Auntie Caitlin,” he said all in a rush.

            Len was up in a moment.  “Where are you hurt?” he said gently, voice calm and soft.  Lucas took a step away from him.

            “I-I thought it be OK,” he said, “I – I washed it – I – I d-didn’t – I was scared, a-and I – I d-don’t want to s-see Auntie Caitlin.”  He was wringing his hands in the edge of his shirt now, and then all of a sudden he burst into tears.  “I think i-it n-needs st-stiches.”

            Len took another step forward, and this time Lucas let him.  He pulled him in towards him and put a hand against the back of Lucas’s head and Lucas brought his hands up to his face, hiding it, crying.

            “It’s OK, Lukey.  It’s going to be alright,” Len said calmly.  “Can you show me where you’re hurt?”

            That caused another round of hyperventilation.  “I-I’m s-sorry,” he said, the words tumbling out.  “I kno-know I – I’m s-supposed to tell you right away, but – I – I don’t want – don’t want stitches, and I – I th-think I m-made it worse. I’m sorry, please don’t be m-mad.”

            “I’m not mad,” Len said, voice still gentle and calm.  “We’re not mad, Lukey, but I need you to show me where you’re hurt.”

            Lucas pulled away, body still shaking, and then pointed at his stomach, on the side.  Len gently lifted the shirt up.  There was a thick pad of gauze taped to his side, and a roll of it wrapped around his stomach too.

            “We’re gonna have you sit down, OK?” Len said.  He led Lucas into the kitchen, head tilting back as they went through.  “Barry,” he said.

            Barry’s eyes snapped to Len’s.  He had been frozen on the couch the whole time, fear icing up his throat.  He felt like he couldn’t move.  Len nodded at him to follow them, and he got up stiffly, feeling numb.

            When Barry walked into the kitchen Len was helping Lucas sit up on the counter.  He started unwrapping the bandages Lucas had taping in place. 

            “Barry,” Len said, “why don’t you grab the first aid kit?”

            Barry nodded, walking mechanically out of the room.  When he got back with the kit he set it down on the counter next to Lucas before stepping back.  Barry was aware that he was on the verge of an anxiety attack, and he knew he must look pale and anxious.  He didn’t want to scare Lucas anymore, so he stepped back and let Len continue.

            As Len unwrapped the wound however, and it came into view, Barry had to leave the room.

            It was a ragged cut, and it was infected.  Pus was oozing out, and it was red and inflamed.  The edges were healing together wrong, and it was still oozing blood in places.  Barry suddenly felt sick, and his head swam.  He turned around and was out of the room in a second, right before he erupted into gasping breaths, hand against the wall as his vision went spotty.

            Len froze.  As soon as he saw the wound he knew it was not going to be an easy fix.  He managed to control his features though, looking up to find Lucas intently looking at him, eyes wide and gauging his reaction.  Len looked back down, assessed everything one more time, and then looked back up.

            “I think we’re gonna have to take a trip to Star, Lukey,” he said gently.

            Lucas’s eyes filled up with tears, and he started hyperventilating even faster than before.  A scared noise came up his throat, and his hands started to vibrate.

            “It’s OK,” Len said steadily, “you’re going to be fine.  But I can’t treat this here, Luke.”  He ran a hand firmly up and down one of Lucas’s legs.

            In the other room, Barry was calling Caitlin, keeping his voice down so Lucas wouldn’t hear, but it was panicked.

            “It’s infected,” Barry said, “and it needs stitches.”

            “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Caitlin said, “have Len meet me there with Lucas.”

            They said little else, although Caitlin tried to reassure him that Lucas would be fine.  Barry hung up and walked back into the kitchen, where Lucas was looking terrified and Len was using clean bandage to rewrap the wound.

            “When did this happen?” Len asked.

            Lucas looked down again, then up.  “Please d-don’t be mad,” he said in a tiny voice.

            “I’m not mad,” Len said, and he smoothed a hand over Lucas’s knee again as he finished taping the bandage in place.  “I’m not mad, Lucas, I promise.”

            Lucas took a deep breath, then looked away again.  “This morning.”

            Len felt a lead weight drop in his stomach.  He swallowed.  “OK,” he said, “how’d it happen?”

            Lucas cringed.  “I was late for class,” he said quietly, “a-and I – no one was there, and I… I cut through the carpentry rooms…”

            Len cringed, could already tell where this was going.

            “I was speeding…” Lucas said, “no one was there, though, so I… I was speeding, and I… I fell.”  He looked at the ground again.  “I tripped over a piece of wood and fell and cut myself on a piece of metal.”  He blinked quickly, hands tightening.  “I… I thought it w-would j-just heal.  I – I didn’t want to s-see Auntie Caitlin.”

            “OK,” Len said.  He wasn’t going to get into how important it was for Lucas to tell them when he got hurt, to always have someone look at it, not then – not when he was so scared.  They’d have that conversation later after he was fixed up and healed and not in pain anymore.

            “I called Caitlin,” Barry said quietly, coming up behind Len.  Lucas froze, and Len kept rubbing his knee.  Barry’s eyes were wide, he looked like he was going to be sick, and his voice was that too-soft murmur that meant he was trying to sound calm but was freaking out.

            Len nodded.  He looked back to Lucas.  “Let’s get you in the car, OK?” he said.

            Lucas’s face contracted, but he nodded, getting down carefully from the counter.  When he started following Len out he stopped, and looked back.  He looked from Barry to Len and back again.

            “Can you come too?” Lucas asked Barry, his voice small.

            Barry froze.  He looked at Len desperately, but Len was already putting a hand on Lucas’s shoulder.  “Someone has to stay for Wentworth and Cyrus,” Len said gently.

            Lucas looked back at Len, starting to tremble again.  “I want Dad to come,” he said, and then looked back at Barry.  “Please.”

            “Lucas,” Barry started, at a loss, but Len was already talking.

            “Dad has to stay to watch Wentworth and Cyrus,” Len said.

            “Michael can watch them,” Lucas said.

            Barry opened and closed his mouth.  “Give me two minutes,” he said, “let me let Michael and Leah know what’s going on.” 

 

 

 

 

            The drive was tense.  Barry drove, and Len had gotten in the back seat with Lucas, one hand on his knee, telling him about some story from years ago about something he got up to with Mick, trying to distract him.  Barry’s throat was tight.  He had told Michael and Leah what had happened, told them Michael was in charge, and to call Joe if anything happened.  Then he had grabbed a book and a speaker off Lucas’s desk, and then a blanket as an afterthought, shoved them into a bag along with some water bottles and snacks from the fridge, and met Len and Lucas at the car.

            Caitlin was already there when they got there, and she had Lucas take of his shirt before she carefully unwrapped the bandages.  Lucas watched her face with the same scrutiny he had watched Len’s, but she gave nothing away.

            “OK, Luke,” she said once she was done assessing it, “I’m going to have you lie down first, OK?”

            He nodded, and lay down on the bed, hands quivering at his sides, like he was going to grab at the wound to hide it any second.  Barry sat down in a chair next to him and took one of his hands.

            “The cut is a little infected,” she said to Lucas, “so I’m going to put an IV in, and get some antibiotics in you, OK?”

            Lucas nodded, cringing when she came over with the IV.

            “Look over here,” Len said, coming up behind Barry, putting a hand on Lucas’s shoulder.  Lucas did, looking between them as Caitlin readied the needle.

            “You’re going to feel a big pinch now, OK?”

            Lucas trembled, but didn’t say anything.  She inserted the IV and he flinched, squeezing his eyes shut.

            “Take a deep breath,” Len said, rubbing circles on his shoulder, “that’s it.  You’re OK.  Just a pinch.  There – it’s all over.  All done.”

            Lucas nodded fast, taking in shaky breaths.  Caitlin hooked the needle up to the IV.

            “This might sting a little,” Caitlin said, “I promise just a little, and only for a second.”

            Lucas took in a sharp breath as the antibiotics went in, but then relaxed.  He looked over at his hand, where Caitlin had taped it in place, and then looked back up at her.

            “You’re doing great, Lucas,” she said, patting his arm. 

            She walked away for a moment and came back with a tray.  She set it down next to them.  Lucas eyed it warily.

            “I’m going to flush out the wound now,” she said.  She picked up a needleless syringe and showed it to Lucas.  “I’m just taking this and filling it with water,” she said, “and then splashing the wound with it, OK?”

            Lucas nodded, and watched her fill it and place some towels around his side.

            “It’s saline, so it might sting a little,” she said.  She let him process that before gently placing one hand on his side, the other holding the syringe.  “Are you OK for me to start?”

            Lucas nodded, biting his lip.  He watched her, but when the water touched his skin he tensed and flinched back, head whipping around to the other side where he squeezed his eyes shut.

            “Easy,” Len said, still rubbing his shoulder.  “You’re OK.  Nice and easy.”

            Lucas shook his head and whined.  His hand in Barry’s was tensed and painfully tight.  He was trembling, shaking his head forcefully.

            “It’s OK,” Len said, “you’re OK.”

            When she finished he panted, opening his eyes and looking scared.  He looked back and forth between Len, Barry, and Caitlin, and started to breathe faster.

            “You’re OK,” Len repeated.  “I know that stung, and that was scary, but you’re OK.  It’s all done now.  It’s OK.”

            A tear slipped down Lucas’s face, eyes locked on Lens.  Len held his gaze, reassuring, leaning in a little closer.

            “Lucas,” Caitlin said, and Lucas looked over, tensing up.  “I’m going to have a little closer look at the wound now, OK?  I want you to keep your eyes over on your Da’s, and try to take deep breaths.  You’re going to feel some pinches, but I’m going to be really gentle now.”

            Lucas made a desperate noise in his throat.  He turned back to Len and Barry, trembling all over.  Len ran a hand through his hair now.

            “Shh,” he said, “you’re OK.  You’re doing great, Lukey.  You’re doing so well for us.  Just a bit more now, OK?  You can do it.”

            Lucas’s eyes locked on his again.  Len could see Caitlin taking out a scalpel though, and for a second he looked away to meet Barry’s eyes.  He looked like he was going to be sick again.

            “Barry,” he said, “why don’t you go get Lucas some water?”

            Barry started, then nodded jerkily.  He gave Lucas a smile.  “I’ll be right back,” he said, squeezing his hand once before letting go.  He walked quickly out of the room.  Lucas’s brow furrowed as he left, a noise in his throat.

            “Dad will be right back,” Len said, and took Lucas’s hand where Barry had been holding it.

            It was strange.  When Barry was hurt, or scared, he tended to babble.  Well, he tended to babble a lot anyway, but especially when he was scared.  Lucas didn’t.  Maybe at first, maybe sometimes at first, but when he was really scared he went practically mute.  He didn’t say a word, and even when he was in pain he hardly made any noises more than whimpers.

            He was doing it now, was silent except for some scared whines in his throat, some little muffled noises of pain.  Caitlin didn’t tell him when she started, but when she started poking around Lucas tensed, eyes squeezed shut, hand tightened, whole body a taught line.

            “I need you to try to relax, Lucas,” Caitlin said, pausing long enough to pat his arm again.  “I know it’s hard, and it hurts, but try to take deep breaths and relax your body.  I promise I can get this over with faster if you do.”

            Lucas tried.  Len could tell he was trying, but he wasn’t really succeeding.  Caitlin was cutting away the damaged, infected areas, and Lucas kept letting out whimpers, shaking his head, tensing up.

            “Shh,” Len said, one hand in Lucas’s hair.  With the way he was moving around he didn’t want him to open his eyes and see the scalpel in Caitlin’s hand.

            Barry came back halfway through.  He looked better now though, more steeled.  He took his seat beside Lucas again and took his hand back, eyes staying on Lucas and not on what Caitlin was doing.  Lucas opened his eyes again when he felt Len let go of his hand and Barry take it instead. 

            “I’m here,” Barry said, giving his hand a squeeze.  Lucas opened his mouth, but no sound came out.  Instead he tensed and squeezed his eyes shut again as Caitlin made another cut.

            When she was finally finished there was a thin layer of sweat over Lucas’s forehead.  He was whimpering, looking at Len, body trembling.

            “Shh,” Len said, “you did so well.  I’m so proud of you.  That part’s all done now.”

            Lucas trembled as Len kept repeating reassurances to him.  Barry took one of the small towels Caitlin had.  He poured some water on it and then gently dabbed at Lucas’s face and neck.  Len helped him sit up to drink some water next.

            The wound was looking better now.  More fresh blood was trickling out, and it was still red and irritated, but Len could tell it was better.  It did still need to be stitched though, and Len was dreading it.  Caitlin gave Len a look, a question there, _me or you?_

            “Can we set up a TV?” Len asked.

            Caitlin nodded, and started bringing up the screen.

            “Lukey,” Len said once she had stepped away.  He ran a hand through Lucas’s hair.  “You’ve been doing so well,” he said, “and we’re so proud of you.  I know this doesn’t feel good, and it’s scary.  You’re doing such a good job.”  He stroked Lucas’s hair, his other hand rubbing smooth circles on his shoulder.  “Caitlin’s going to put in the stitches now,” he said evenly, “and then we’ll be all done.”

            Lucas whimpered, and started trembling hard.  He was getting paler by the second.

            “It’ll be OK,” Len said, “Caitlin will get it done fast, and you can have a break if you need one.  We’re gonna set up a movie for you to watch, too,” he said, but Lucas was starting to cry, trembling from head to toe and curling up on his side.

            “Hey,” Barry said, giving his hand a squeeze.  “You’re gonna be just fine,” he said.  He tried to make his voice light, tried to shut out his own anxiety.  “Do you have any idea how many times Auntie Caitlin has stitched me up?  You’ll be just fine.”

            Lucas looked at Barry, and then swallowed hard.  “I-is it.. h-how b-bad is i-it?”

            Barry hesitated.  He wanted to lie and say it wasn’t bad at all, but he knew from experience that it would just make the initial shock of the pain worse.

            “It’s rough,” he said instead, “I won’t lie, Lukey.  It’s rough.  But Caitlin is really gentle, and she gets it done fast.  If it’s too much you can have a break in the middle.  It’s not as bad as it sounds.  It is rough, but it sounds a lot worse than it is.  It’s just a lot of little pinches, like a bunch of shots.  I know that doesn’t sound fun, but you’re going to be just fine.”

            Caitlin put on a movie, and turned the volume up, the screen placed in front of Luke and to the right, where Len and Barry were and away from where Caitlin was working.

            “I’m going to get started, Luke,” she said once it was on.

            Lucas whimpered, and Barry squeezed his hand.  Caitlin put a hand down on his side gently and Lucas closed his eyes.

            The first stitch elicited a pained yelp.  The second got a whimper.  By the sixth he was crying, shaking his head again, his breath coming fast and irregular as it hitched and he gasped every time Caitlin placed a stitch.

            “It _hurts_ ,” he said a minute later, gasping the words, looking from Len to Barry.  “ _D-Dad._ ”

            “Its OK,” Barry said, “you’re OK.”

            Lucas shook his head.  “ _It hu-urts_ ,” he cried.

            He didn’t say anything for the rest of it, but his sobs got louder, and he started tugging away from Caitlin, until Len had to reach around and clamp a hand down on his hip.  The last thing he wanted to do was hold him down, but Lucas was going to hurt himself.  They didn’t give him a break in between because he didn’t ask for one, and Len didn’t want to get him to calm down just to have to start again.  He decided it would be better to just get it all done with at once.  Giving him the option of having a break was more to try to give him a sense of control anyway, so if he didn’t ask for one then they weren’t going to stop.

            When it was finally done Lucas was curled on his side, crying and gasping as Caitlin placed a bandage over the stitches, Barry still holding his hand, Len reaching around to rub his back.

            “I want – I want to go home,” Lucas said.  His voice was shaky, his hands still trembling.

 

 

 

 

 

            Lucas went straight up to bed when they got back.  It was past ten at night now, and both Cyrus and Wentworth were in bed.  Michael and Leah were sitting up at the couch, and they converged on them when they got there.  Lucas pushed past them and went right upstairs.  Michael swallowed and Leah looked to Len and Barry.

            “He’s not feeling great,” Len said, “He’s OK, but it was rough, and he’s not feeling too good now.”

            A flicker crossed Leah’s face and she ran up the stairs after him.  Michael looked like he wanted to follow but didn’t want to crowd Lucas either.

            Len waited a few minutes, got himself a drink, made sure Barry was alright, and then went upstairs.

            He found Lucas changed into pajamas and already lying in bed.  Leah was sitting on the edge of his bed, looking worried.  Len smiled at her as he entered.

            “Could I talk to Luke for a minute, Leah,” he said, “I think Dad and Michael are watching TV downstairs.”

            Leah’s jaw tightened, but she went downstairs.  Len took her place at the edge of Lucas’s bed, placing a hand on his back.

            “You did a great job,” he said.  He kept rubbing Lucas’s back, but he didn’t say anything.  “I know that was really painful,” Len said, “but it’s all over now.”

            He saw Lucas nod against the blankets, and then heard a sniff.  He turned slightly, and his face poked out from under the blankets.  His eyes were watery and red.

            “Y-you d-didn’t tell me it was gonna be that bad,” he said, his tone vaguely accusatory.  He shivered.  “It hurt so much.”

            Len’s stomach clenched.  “I know,” he said softly.  “I know, Lukey.  I’m sorry.  We didn’t want to scare you.  Stitches are always… they’re rough.  They’re really rough.  I’m sorry, Lucas.”

            Lucas’s face crumpled, and then he was hiding it against the pillow again, shaking.  “I-it h-hurts,” he said.  “Da, it h-hurt s-so-o”

            “Shh,” Len said, rubbing his back, “it’s OK now.  I promise it’s OK now.  Does it still hurt?”

            Lucas nodded miserably.

            “Why don’t you flip over,” Len said, “you’re putting pressure on it lying on your stomach like that.”

            Lucas shifted, but didn’t flip over to lie on his back.  He went more firmly onto his side instead, his good side.  Len kept rubbing his back.

            “That’s good,” Len said, “can you tell me how the pain is?”

            Lucas shrugged and Len paused.

            “When your Dad gets hurt,” Len said, “we use a scale.  So I know what he needs, how bad it is, so I can help him.  He tells me how bad it is on a one to ten scale, with ten being the worst.  Can you do that too for me now?  Can you tell me what your pain is now on the scale?”

            Lucas sniffed.  “I dunno,” he said.  “Not… it’s not that bad now, it just… it – it –”

            “It reminds you of it?”

            Lucas nodded. 

            “Dad has the same problem,” Len said.  “But can you tell me that number?”

            “I dunno,” Lucas said again.  “Maybe… maybe five… or four?  I…it feels a lot better now, but… it still hurts.”

            “Focus on how it feels better.  What do you think it was when you were getting the stitches?”

            Lucas shivered.  “Eight?  It’s not as bad as… as setting bones… but it – it took longer.”

            Len nodded.  “Dad hates stuff that takes longer too.  He’d rather have a bone set then stitches.  But eight down to four – that’s pretty good.  Focus on that, OK, Lucas?  On how it’s better now – already a lot better, and it’s going to keep getting better, and by tomorrow morning it won’t hurt at all – it’ll be all healed.”  

            Lucas nodded.  His breath was still hitching.

            “It’s OK now,” Len said again, “it’s all over.”

            “Does it always hurt that much?” Lucas asked.  He was breathing a bit better now, controlling his voice better.

            Len sighed.  “It depends how big the cut is, and if it’s clean or more jagged.”

            Lucas was still for a moment, and then continued, “How was Dad the first time… the first time he had to get stitches.”

            “I don’t know,” Len said, “I wasn’t there.”

            “Oh,” Lucas said, and then was quiet again for a moment.  “Did… did he get better with it?”

            “I don’t think anyone really gets better with stitches, Luke,” Len said, “it’s not a matter of getting better at it.  It’s OK if you get upset or cry or ask for it to stop.  It’s painful, and we know that.  Everyone reacts differently, and however you react, as long as it’s not something that will hurt yourself worse, is OK.”

            “But… does it get easier, I mean,” Lucas said.

            “I think so… to some extent.  Your Dad is better at dealing with the anxiety of it now, at least.  And he knows what to expect, and he’s learned it’s better to just get things over with, for the most part.  The pain will always be there though, and it’s not a matter of learning to tough it out, or endure it better – it’s just what strategies you can use to make it easier.  I guess your Dad’s pain tolerance has gone up a little, and yours might too, but it’s OK if it doesn’t, if you still get upset.  That’s alright too.”

            Lucas nodded, and then went quiet.  Len sat with him for another twenty minutes, a soft silence, until Lucas fell asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

            Lucas sat still, looking anxiously at Barry as Len carefully pulled out the stitches.

            “It feels weird,” he said, squirming a little.

            “I know,” Barry said, “but it doesn’t hurt.  Just focus on that.  It doesn’t hurt, and you’re OK.  Da’s almost done.”

            “There,” Len said a moment later, pulling out the last of the string.  He took it and quickly threw it out.  Lucas sat up a bit more, looking down at where his skin was almost entirely healed.  There was just a faint mark left.

            “You’re all set,” Barry said.  There was a yell from downstairs and both Barry and Len frowned.  Barry sighed.  “I’ll be right back,” he said.

            As he walked out of the room, probably to find Wentworth in some trouble again, Len looked back at Lucas.

            “Luke,” he said, “we need to have a talk about that injury now.”

            There was the slightest bit of a cringe that flickered across Lucas’s face before he looked down.  “I’m sorry,” he said.

            Len sighed.  “I know,” he said, “and we’re not mad, Luke.  I promise, we’re not.  I get it, and Dad probably gets it even more, in fact I’m sure he does – you were scared, and you thought it would heal anyway, and when it didn’t you got more scared, and that created a cycle you couldn’t get out of, and I’m proud of you for telling us when you did, Luke, I’m proud of you for not waiting until you were sick from infection.  I know you were scared, Lucas, but it would have been a lot easier to take care of if you had told us right away.”

            “I didn’t want to see Auntie Cait,” Lucas mumbled.  He was playing with the edge of his shirt.

            “I know,” Len said, “but once you cut yourself there, once that was done, you were going to see Auntie Caitlin anyway.  I know that scared you, and you didn’t want to go, but the fact of the matter was, one way or another, it was going to happen.  You needed medical treatment, and you could have gotten it right away, or you could have waited until you were sick with fever from the infection, and passed out from it, but either way you were going to go.  Your best choice there, is to get it done with right away.  I know it’s scary, and I know you don’t want to, but your best option, the least-painful option, will always be to get it looked at right away, Lukey.”

            “But what if it did heal,” Lucas said, “then I’d go for nothing – and – and Aunt Cait would poke at it, and it would hurt, and it would heal anyway, so it – so it wouldn’t have mattered.”

            “You do know Caitlin doesn’t just poke at the wounds, right?” Len said, a bit of a smile on his face, “Lucas, if she’s touching the wound then there’s a reason for it.  Let’s say that the wound was a smaller cut, and it could have healed without stitches.  If you had told us right away, I probably would have just looked at it and cleaned it out and you’d be all set, but it it’s bad enough that it needs stitches, you’re going to have to see Caitlin anyway, because it won’t heal right on its own.”

            “But if it didn’t need stiches,” Lucas said.

            “If it didn’t need stitches you wouldn’t have to see her,” Len said, “but I need to see it to say it doesn’t need stitches.  You still have to tell someone.”

            Lucas frowned and looked away.  “Yeah, OK.”

            “Luke,” Len said, “if you had told us right away, yesterday morning when it happened, we would have brought you to Caitlin, she would have flushed the wound once, stitched it up, and put some antibacterial cream on it.  There would have been no IV, a lot less of that saline water, no getting rid of the dead areas, and the stitches probably would have hurt less.  The whole thing would have been over in ten minutes.”

            “Alright, I get it,” Lucas said, crossing his arms around himself.

            “Luke, I’m not trying to make you upset,” Len said, “I just don’t want to see you do this to yourself again.  We need you to understand that as scary and unpleasant as it is to get treatment, it’s always best for you to get it fast.”

            “OK,” Lucas said.  “I – I know that though, I – it’s just, when it – when it happens…”

            “It’s hard in the moment,” Len said, “you get scared, and then you wait even though you know you shouldn’t.”

            Lucas nodded.

            “We need you to be really brave in that moment, and let us know, and then we can help you through the rest, OK?  I need you to keep that in mind for next time something goes wrong, alright?”

            Lucas nodded.

            “OK,” Len said.

            Len leaned over then and hugged him.  Lucas relaxed into it, like he did every time.  He was like Barry – craved physical contact, was always comforted by it.  The feeling was much less natural for Len, and even now, after so many years with Barry, he still felt discomfort with anyone that wasn’t Barry, Lisa, or the kids.  But this was Lucas, and this was what Lucas needed, and maybe what Len needed then too.  He spent so much time staying calm and in control for Lucas and Barry that he sometimes didn’t realize until afterwards how shook up he really was. 

            Years of watching Barry get patched up and helping him through it had made it easier as long as Barry wasn’t dangerously wounded, but it was different with Lucas.  As much as he loved Barry and hated seeing him in pain, it was harder to see Lucas like that, harder to watch his son scared and pained, even if Barry was a close second.  He still wasn’t sure which was worse, having watched Lucas as a small child go through painful procedures, or watching him now. 

            It was awful when he was young because he just seemed so small, so vulnerable – he was just a little kid.  But back then some good distraction and a nice reward or treat afterwards followed by some cuddling was all it took and he’d be fine the next day, two days at most.  Lucas struggled with getting over it more now.  He had nightmares, would worry himself sick about getting hurt again, tied himself up in knots if there was a procedure scheduled in advance.  It was harder to help him now, as he got older and understood what was going on and what was going to happen.  It might have been more difficult to watch when he was so young, but the aftermath and the anticipation were worse now.

            “I just want you to be safe,” Len said, “me and Dad – we just want you to be safe, and we hate seeing you in pain, Lucas.  I promise we wouldn’t make you do anything that you didn’t absolutely have to.”

            “I know,” he said, his voice quiet.

            “Good,” Len said, “good.”  And he hugged him just the slightest bit tighter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! :) If you comment it will totally make my day and I will love you forever :))) Also, let me know if you have any ideas for future Allen children fics! I'd love to hear them!


End file.
